Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026

Submit your daylight project for Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 by 06 April 2026

Same competition – new name. The International VELUX Award for Students of Architecture is relaunched as Light of Tomorrow by VELUX for the 2026 edition of the competition and award.

Registrations are now closed.
The competition and award challenges students to explore the theme of daylight — to create a deeper understanding of this ever-relevant source of energy, light, and life.

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  • Get inspired by browsing the 2024 projects and previous winners

Key dates

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  • 1 September 2025

    Registration & Submissions Open

  • 30 March 2026

    Registration Deadline

  • 6 April 2026

    Entry Submission Deadline

  • May 2026

    Result Announcement

  • 26 June — 2 July 2026

    Winner’s Workshop & Awards Ceremony

About Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026

The competition and award challenges students to explore the theme of daylight – to create a deeper understanding of this ever-relevant source of energy, light, and life.

Every second year since 2004, the VELUX Group has invited students of architecture to participate in the Light of Tomorrow by VELUX, formerly known as the International VELUX Award for students of architecture. The competition and award seeks to challenge students to explore the role of daylight in architecture and inspire new thinking. The aim of the competition and award is to engage with students of architecture about how to use sunlight and daylight as main sources of energy and light and how to ensure health and well-being of the people who live and work in buildings.

Since the launch, it has grown into the largest competition and award of its kind with students from 800 schools, from 130 countries of all continents, submitting more than 6,000 projects on the theme “Light of Tomorrow”.

The competition and award is global and open to any registered student of architecture backed by a teacher from a school of architecture. The total prize money is up to 7,000 Euro per winner. The jury, comprising internationally renowned architects, will find eight winners – five regional winners plus three special prize winners. Regional and special prize winners will enjoy an expenses-paid trip to Europe to attend a workshop and an architectural event where one global winner will be found after presenting projects live to the jury.

Light of Tomorrow by VELUX 2026 is arranged in close collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA) and acknowledged by the following educational organizations: The European Association for Architectural Education, The American Institute of Architecture Students, the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture.